Mama Bear

Recently my child ran out in the middle of a parking lot at night. At the same time, a car was coming around the corner (albeit about 15-20 mph) and I screamed for my daughter to stop and pay attention! She came to a screeching halt. The car halted. And I felt a mixture of relief and fury at my kid for (yet again) not paying attention in a parking lot no matter how many times I’ve told her to stop running and have some awareness of what’s around her.

I meant to wave at the drive to thank them for stopping and apologize for my child darting in front of them. That was when the driver slammed on the horn and started screaming at my kid.

And then this white, cold rage rose inside of me. I told my daughter to walk to the sidewalk, and I felt a need to confront the driver, who then put her foot on the gas and drove the car right up until it was touching my knee. I don’t know why I didn’t get out of the way. I mean, she could have easily run over me. Then my kid wouldn’t have a parent. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING in my brain said, “Move.”

I just wasn’t thinking straight at that point. Here’s what I was thinking: my kid was in danger. Protect her. In the end, she decided against running over me (a wise choice for her, and a healthy one for me!), giving me the opportunity to tell her to slow down. It’s a parking lot, after all.

My husband rebuked my decision to stand firm against the woman in the car who was clearly trying to scare our kid. Admittedly, I saw his point. Once-while experiencing an earthquake at our house in LA, I ran to guard our baby, and my husband pulled me into a doorway to shield me. Sometimes I don’t think about the fact that I might need protecting. But when “Mama Bear” mode comes over me, I sort of turn into a beast.

Does this happen to anyone else? Have you ever experienced an irrational, instinctive protective impulse when you feel your child is being threatened? I’ve had to shove that instinct down at playgrounds if another child is being a bully, or if a teacher isn’t reaching my kid and doesn’t care about changing their tactic. In the end, we are our kid’s best advocates. And I’m not saying “blind rage” is the way to solve a problem. I’m just kind of floored by the intensity of the natural instinct.

“There is no greater warrior than a mother protecting her child.” -N.K. Jemisin

Comments

Fast & Fresh Updates!

Enter your email address to get the latest Baby Bullet Blog articles.

Email Address

About Maia Rodriguez

"Military Mom" Maia Rodriguez was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but that was about twenty homes ago. After graduating from Syracuse University with a BFA in Musical Theater, she traveled just about everywhere in the country, lived in a green turtle-like tent for 6 months, toured and slept in the back of her van and even worked in Japan for a year. Then she met her husband who tamed her (ha!) and they embarked together on the adventure of parenthood in southern California where she worked as a professional pirate. Now, two children later, the family currently resides in VIrginia, where she sings for the US Navy as a vocalist. When she’s not mothering, she’s writing music for "Evernight," singing and writing for the Baby Bullet Blog.

Comments

I feel you! I’m all a Mama Bear, who turns into a beast. I’m on high alert when I take my 23 month old to the park playground. Some kids are mean and push my baby out of the way to get on the slide etc. Some parents don’t care if their actions. Just venting. You have every right for how you feel.